Bobbin handling apparatus



A ril 24, 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3, 3

BOBBIN HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 13, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT M. |NGHAM,JR.

ATTORNEY April 24, 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3,031,059

BOBBIN HANDLING APPARATUS Fild Oct. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FY a/wzw ATTORNEY ROBERT M INGHAM,JR.

A ril 24, 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3,031,059

BOBBIN HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lI-------------I INVENTOR.

...,...,., q BY W112i 5% ATTORNEY ROBERT M. INGHAM,JR.

ite States This invention relates to an object handling apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for conveying, sorting, and parallel aligning of bobbins or the like, particularly bobbins having one open end thereof larger than the other end.

A major feature of this invention lies in the conveying and aligning of a plurality of open ended bobbins or the like in substantially parallel transverse alignment and including the reversal of alignment of any bobbins having their respective ends extending in the wrong direction, whereby the bobbins are conveyed to a desired location, such as discharge into a suitable container or the like, with the butt and head ends of the various said bobbins in respective alignment. It is a. further feature that this conveying and aligning of the bobbins or the like is accomplished upon bobbins originally lying in a conglomerate mass, as in a bin or the like with no particular alignment or other predetermined inter-relation therebctween.

Still other features and advantages will become apparout to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of two embodiments constructed in accordance with the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a partial front perspective view looking downwardly at a preferred embodiment in a direction perpendicular to the conveying surface of the slatted belt conveyor of the embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a partial plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevation illustrating the air nozzle as arranged in the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow IV of FIGURE 5, further illustrating the angle of inclination of the air nozzle of the embodiment of FIG- U-RE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic section view in side elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 illustrates in a view similar to that of FIG- URE 1 a second embodiment constructed according to the invention.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings a hopper 11 having a suitable discharge opening 113 is disposed adjacent a trough-shaped belt conveyor 15. The hopper 11 may advantageously have a slanted false bottom 11a adjacent the discharge opening 13 with a vibrator (not shown) attached thereto for aiding in the discharge of bobbins B onto the trough-shaped belt conveyor 15.

The belt conveyor arrangement preferably includes a pair of downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls 15a between which is disposed a belt 15b, which is driven in a direction with its upper run moving toward the left as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2. Any suitable motion imparting source (not shown) may be employed for driving the belt 15b, which belt is preferably continuously driven during the operation of the apparatus. Preferably the belt 15b is of a width corresponding to between approximately one and two butt diameters of the bobbins or other objects to be conveyed thereon in order that the bobbins will be substantially longitudinally aligned on the belt during their conveying movement thereon. Bobbins B are loaded in a conglomerate mass into the hopper from which they are discharged through opening 13 into the trough-shaped belt conveyor arrangement 15.

The bobbins are fed in substantially longitudinal endto-end single or double file relationship to a second inclined flat belt conveyor 17 traveling transversely to the direction of movement of the troughshaped belt conveyor 15.

The end-to-end bobbins B emerging fromthe troughshaped belt conveyor 15 are conveyed both by gravity and the downward movement of the belt conveyor 17 to a pocketed belt conveyor 19, formed as by a continuous belt having slats 19b secured thereto where they are presented in substantially transversely arranged relation as shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 5. The pocketed belt conveyor has a vertically inclined run 19 thereon disposed adjacent the second belt conveyor 17 and inclined at a steep vertical angle. In order to prevent jam-ups and to aid in effective pick-up by the pocketed conveyor 19 of the bobbins fromthe second conveyor, the second conveyor 17 is passed about a relatively small diameter roller 17a adjacent the lower end of its run, thus disposing the lower end of the elfective conveying surface of the second conveyor more closely adjacent to the slatted conveyor 19. If desired, the second conveyor 17 may be driven with its upper run traveling counter to the direction of bobbin movement thereon, in which case a larger roller may be employed at the lower end of the second conveyor and gravity is the sole medium imparting downward movement to the bobbins on the conveyor 17.

It may sometimes occur that two bobbins may be stacked together end-to-end as they leave the bin 11, the small end B of one bobbin B being stuck into the large end B of the other bobbin B In order to prevent such bobbins from being conveyed by the conveyor 17 to the conveyor 19 and thus causing a possible jamming of the bobbins at the intersection of these two conveyors, the arrangement of the conveyors 17 and 15 is such as to cause discharge of such stacked bobbins over the left side of the conveyor 17 as viewed in FIGURE 1. To this end, the conveyor belt 15b has its upper run disposed at an upwardly extending angle (e.g. 2-10 degrees) along its longitudinal length and with its discharge end somewhat above (eg /2l inch) the adjacent surface of the conveyor 17. Also the conveyor 17, which has a width approximately equal to or slightly greater than the length of the individual bobbins B (which may for example be of the order of 10 inches long), has disposed at its opposite side (the left side as seen in FIGURE 1) a stationary guard plate 13 which extends a small distance (e.g. A-Vz inch) above the upper surface of the belt 17 in the path of movement of the bobbins B from the conveyor 15. The effect of inclining the belt 15b upwardly with its discharge end above the adjacent surface of the belt 17 is to cause the forward ends of the bobbins B to be ejected from the belt 15b through the air for a short distance after the forward end leaves the belt 15b and before it contacts the belt 17. In the case of individual bobbins such bobbins will be overbalanced and will fall down upon the belt 17 in proper relation, although they may strike the inboard lateral side wall =l8b of the guard plate 18 in so doing, and will be conveyed by the belt 17 to the conveyor 19 for pick up thereby. However, in the case of stacked bobbins, due to the long length of the bobbin pair of the front bobbin of such parts of stacked bobbins B will be thrown over the top of the guard plate by the force of the belt 15b and will slidingly ride on the top 18a of the guard plate and thus be discharged over the side of the guard plate. It will be apparent that the greater the upward angle of inclination of the belt 15]) the slower may be the necessary speed of travel of this belt, and vice versa, in order to effect this function.

The slats 19b forming the pockets 19a on the pocketed conveyor 19 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the large butt ends B of the bobbins but preferably 3 with insufficient spacing to permit two bobbins to lie in one pocket 19a, and extend to a height above the belt bed surface slightly greater than the radius of the large butt ends B of the bobbins, whereby the transversely arranged bobbins going down the second belt conveyor will be picked up in the pockets 19a of the belt conveyor 19 between the slats thereof in individual one-by-one relation.

It may sometimes occur that a bobbin 13,; will be presented to the slatted belt conveyor 19 in such a manner that it will tend to be moved longitudinally up the conveyor and is tumbled end-over-end back toward the second conveyor. In order to cause such bobbins to be turned to a transverse position relative to the slatted conveyor 19, rather than continuing their longitudinal relation, and thus prevent continued end-over-end movement of the bobbin B, by the slatted belt conveyor 19 a cam deflector plate 21 is disposed at an oblique angle outwardly from the bed of the slatted belt conveyor. The action of this cam deflector member 21 is similar to that of a cam, any more or less longitudinally upstanding bobbins being prevented from turning end-over-end back onto the second conveyor by a cam action contact on the upper tumbling end of the bobbin as it tumbles backward and strikes the deflector plate 21, this upper end of the bobbin being cammed laterally to the right as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2, as it tends to turn rearwardly end-over-end under the action of the slatted belt conveyor 19. Thus the bob.- bin is moved from its longitudinal tumbling position to a transversely extending position for proper pick-up by the pocketed conveyor 19.

It will be noted that the bobbins picked up and conveyed in the pockets of the belt conveyor 19 are not necessarily disposed with their head ends B and butt ends B extending in the same respective directions. To the end that the bobbins will be so aligned there is provided a bobbin reversing mechanism generally indicated at 25 for discharging from their pockets on the belt conveyor 19 any bobbins which are not aligned withtheir head ends B extending toward the right and their butt ends B extending toward the left, although the arrangement might be modified to have the bobbins extend in the opposite direction if so desired. In order to insure that the bobbins are fully seated in their pockets 19a at the time such pockets are passed adjacent the bobbin reversing mechanism 25 there is provided a holdown plate 23 pivoted as at.23a and extending across the width of the slatted belt conveyor 19' and which has its gravity biased free end freely engaging the slats and the bobbins lying in the pockets between the slats.

The bobbin reversing mechanism 25 takes the form of a continuously operating air nozzle 27 having its dis-. charge orifice 27a disposed adjacent an aperture 29 formed in the side wall 190 of the conveyor 19 and being operatively connected to a suitable source of air pressure P. The orifice 27a and aperture 29 are disposed at a distance from the bed of the belt 19 such as to substantially miss or be ineffective on the small head ends B of the bobbins, but sufficiently close to the bed of the belt as to catch and discharge the relatively large open butt ends B of the bobbins, as shown schematically in broken lined outline in FIGURE 5. The angle of inclination of the air nozzle 27 relative to the slatted belt 19 is such as to deflect the butt end B of a wrongly extending bobbin outwardly away from the belt 19. Through the thus directed pneumatic ejecting force and the resultant turning moment thus imparted thereto the reverse oriented bobbin B will be ejected from the conveyor 19 and will reverse itself in flight (see FIGURE and fall into a downwardly inclined trough-shaped reversing chute 31 disposed adjacent to and spaced from the front of the conveyor 19. The reversing chute 31 preferably has a guard plate 31a extending upwardly therefrom on the side opposite to the direction from which the bobbins approach the chute in order to prevent possible overshoot of the reversing bobbins B beyond the chute due to changes in nozzle air pressure, slight misalignment of the air nozzle, etc.

While the particular angle of inclination A of the air jet nozzle 27 relative to the bed of the belt conveyor 19 will be dependent upon the energy content of the air jet and the relative positions of the belt conveyor 19, the nozzle 27 and the inclined reversing chute 29, it has been found by way of example that an angle A (see FIGURE 4) of approximately 45 degrees is satisfactory for a nozzle orifice of approximately inch diameter, air pressure of approximately 50 p.s.i., with the approximate area of contact of the reversed bobbin with the inclined reversing chute approximately 5 inches beneath and 17 inches in front of and to one side of the nozzle orifice. The ejected and reversed bobbins are received by the chute 29, slide down the inclined chute with their head ends B first and are discharged onto conveyor 15 from which they emerge onto the conveyor 17 with their butt ends B first. The reversed bobbins thereafter again pass along the second belt conveyor 17 and up the slatted belt conveyor 19 in proper alignment, and are discharged together with the other properly aligned bobbins as the slatted belt conveyor 19 begins its downwardly traveling discharge run. Thus the bobbins, which the illustrated example are warp bobbins, are sorted and aligned with each of their respective head and butt ends extending in the same respective directions and are discharged into a suitable receiving device such as a dofl box 33 or the like for subsequent handling.

The foregoing described embodiment is of particular utility in a small space where the hopper 11 or other apparatus must be disposed closely adjacent and between the first conveyor 15 and the slatted or otherwise pocketed conveyor 19 whereby the body of the hopper 11 or some other obstruction prevents the discharge of the improperly aligned bobbins directly from the conveyor 19 to the first conveyor 15, as is the case in the embodiment of FIGURE 1. An alternative arrangement, which is useful in those instances when there is no necessity for the hopper or any other apparatus to be disposed in the direct path of movement of the reversing bobbins from the conveyor 19 to the first longitudinal-bobbin-moving belt conveyor 15, is illustrated in FIGURE 6. In this arrangement the air discharge nozzle 27 is disposed on the side of the slatted belt conveyor 19 opposite to the longitudinal-bobbin-conveying trough-shaped conveyor 15, whereby the bobbins are discharged from the slatted belt conveyor 19 and moved directly through the air to the first trough-shaped bobbin conveyor 15. The angle of inclination of the air nozzle 27' relative to the bed of the slatted belt conveyor 19 may be somewhat less than that of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 for a given air discharge energy as when the distance traversed by the bobbins in mid-air is greater than that required for the embodiment of FIGURE 1 and the rate of turning required is less for a complete reversal of the bobbin. Other than the direct movement of the bobbins from the slatted belt conveyor to the bobbin conveyor the operation of this embodiment is substantially similar to that of the arrangement of FIGURE 1.

While I have disclosed two physical embodiments constructed according to the invention it will be understood that many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A bobbin handling apparatus for bobbins or the like having one open end larger in diameter than the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first end-to-end bobbin conveyor, a second conveyor disposed at the output end of said first conveyor and extending in effective conveying direction transversely to the effective conveying direction of said first conveyor, a third conveyor having individual transversely extending bobbin-receiving recesses formed on its conveying surface, said third conveyor being disposed with one portion of its said conveying surface adjacent the output end of said second conveyor for receiving bobbins in transversely extending relation from said second conveyor and conveying them in individually separate relation therefrom, and bobbin reversing means disposed adjacent said third conveyor for removing improperly aligned bobbins from said third conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bobbin reversing means comprises an air jet nozzle disposed adjacent one lateral edge of said third conveyor and having its effective discharge end directed substantially out of the path of the bobbins having their small ends on said third conveyor having their small ends on the side of said conveyor toward said nozzle, said nozzle effective discharge end being directed into the path of bobbins on said third conveyor having their large ends on the side toward said nozzle, the eflfective discharge direction of said nozzle being away from the conveying surface of said third conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle effective discharge direction is generally toward said first conveyor, said nozzle being on the side of said third conveyor opposite from said first conveyor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle is disposed on the same side of said third conveyor as said first conveyor, said nozzle eifective discharge direction being directed generally away from said first conveyor, and a fourth conveyor disposed in the path of discharge of bobbins from said third conveyor and having its discharge end adjacent and directed onto said first conveyor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said fourth conveyor is an open trough chute extending downwardly toward said first conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second conveyor is inclined downwardly from said first conveyor in the direction of said third conveyor.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said second conveyor is an endless belt of width at least substantially comparable to the length of the bobbins handled thereon, and drive means moving the eifective conveying run of said belt away from said third conveyor.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said third conveyor comprises an endless belt having bobbin receiving pockets on its effective conveying surface and the efiective conveying surface of said third conveyor adjacent the output end of said second conveyor is an upwardly extending moving belt run of said endless belt.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said third conveyor is a slatted belt having its slatted surface extending toward said second conveyor on the upwardly directed run thereof.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first conveyor is a trough shaped belt conveyor having a conveying surface width relatively narrow in comparison to the length of the bobbins conveyed thereby.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said second conveyor is a fiat inclined surface having a width at least equal to the length of the bobbins conveyed thereby.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said second conveyor is an endless belt having an upper run forming its eifective conveying surface, said upper run being inclined downwardly toward said third conveyor, and drive means to move said upper run away from said third conveyor.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for discharging stacked bobbins prior to their passage onto said third conveyor.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said stacked bobbin discharging means comprises a guard plate disposed at the opposite side of said second conveyor from the output end of said first conveyor and in front of said first conveyor, said guard plate having an upper surface disposed slightly above the adjacent conveyor surface of said second conveyor and beneath the output end of said first conveyor, said first conveyor having its conveying surface disposed at an upwardly inclined angle along its effective conveying direction.

15. A bobbin handling apparatus for bobbins or the like having one open end larger in diameter than the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor having individual transversely extending bobbin-receiving recesses formed on its conveying surface, said first conveyor being disposed in bobbin-feeding relation to said second conveyor, bobbin reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned bobbins from said second conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction, and objectreceiving-and-conveying means disposed in object-receiving relation to said object reversing means and in feedback bobbin feeding relation to said first conveyor.

16. A bobbin handling apparatus for bobbins or the like having one open end larger in diameter than the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor having individual transversely extending bobbin-receiving recesses formed on its conveying surface, said second conveyor being disposed with one portion of its said conveying surface adjacent the output end of said first conveyor for receiving bobbins in transversely extending relation from said first conveyor and conveying them in individually separate relation therefrom, and bobbin reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned bobbins from said second conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction, said bobbin reversing means comprising an air jet nozzle disposed adjacent one lateral edge of said second conveyor and having its effective discharge air jet directed substantially out of the path of bobbins having their small ends on the side of said conveyor toward said nozzle, said nozzle effective discharge air jet being directed into the path of bobbins on said second conveyor and having their large ends on the side toward said nozzle.

17. A materials handling apparatus for objects having one open end larger in diameter than the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor having individual transversely extending object-receiving recesses formed on its conveying surface, said first conveyor being disposed in object-feeding flow relation to said second conveyor, and object-reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned object from said second conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction, said object-reversing means comprising an air jet nozzle disposed adjacent one lateral edge of said second conveyor and having its effective discharge jet directed substantially out of the path of objects having their small ends on the side of said conveyor toward said nozzle, said nozzle effective discharge jet being directed into the path of objects on said second conveyor and having their large ends on the side toward said nozzle.

18. A materials handling apparatus for objects having one open end larger in diameter than the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor having individual transversely extending object-receiving recesses formed on its conveying surface, said first conveyor being disposed in object-feeding flow relation to said second conveyor, object-reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned objects from said second conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction, said objectreversing means including a force-effecting device disposed adjacent one lateral side of said second conveyor and having its effective object-reversing force directed substantially out of the path of objects having their small ends on the side of said conveyor toward said device, said force being directed into the path of objects on said second conveyor and having their large ends on K the side toward said device, and guide means disposed in object-receiving relation from said object-reversing device and in feed-back feeding relation to said first conveyor.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said guide means comprises a chute extending in a downward direction toward said first conveyor.

20. A materials handling apparatus for objects having one end different in physical structure from the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, :1 second conveyor having object-transverse-positioning means formed thereon, said first conveyor being disposed in object-feeding flow relation to said second conveyor, object-reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned objects from said second conveyor and reversing their laterally extending direction, guide means disposed in object-receiving relation from said object-reversing device and in object-reversal feed-back feeding relation to said first conveyor, said object-reversing means comprising an air jet nozzle, and air conduit means to said nozzle.

21. A materials handling apparatus for objects having one end difierent in physical structure from the opposite end thereof, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor having object-transverse-positioning means formed thereon, said first conveyor being disposed inobject-feeding flow relation to said second conveyor, object-reversing means disposed adjacent said second conveyor for removing improperly aligned objects from said second conveyor and reversing their, laterally extending direction and causing said objects to be moved in reversed feed-back relation back to said first conveyor for further feeding thereby, said object-reversing means comprising an air jet nozzle, and air conduit means to said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,431 Lakso June 5, 1945 2,592,141 Holdren Apr. 8, 1952 2,857,039 Whitecar Oct. 21, 1958 2,877,884 Esenwein Mar. 17, 1959 2,938,229 Christie May 31, 1960 

